What Is the Impact of Coercive Control on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence?

Abstract

Moving beyond traditional frameworks focused on physical violence, the article adopts a comprehensive definition of coercive control as encompassing psychological abuse, isolation, stalking, and the systematic denial of autonomy, and argues that its effects on children are distinct and deeply harmful, often persisting long after direct exposure ends. Three key mechanisms of harm are identified: (1) credible threats, which compel children and mothers to constantly modify their behavior to avoid punishment, creating a chronically stressful environment akin to "walking on eggshells"; (2) hypervigilance, a state of continuous environmental scanning that depletes cognitive resources needed for learning and healthy social development; and (3) disruption of developmental milestones, including secure attachment, self-regulation, and social competence. Understudied areas require future research, including children's recovery trajectories after separation from a coercive parent, the use of children as surveillance tools by abusers post-separation, and "litigation abuse" whereby legal systems are used to maintain control and destabilize families. The author concludes that effectively protecting children requires recognizing coercive control as a systematic erosion of autonomy and safety, not merely a series of violent incidents, and calls for research to better inform therapeutic interventions and legal policy.